The Devil's Book of Verse: Masters of the Poison Pen from Ancient Times to the Present Day

by Richard Conniff

A witty and wicked collection of poetry includes satirical proverbs, limericks, verses, and epitaphs on a rich variety of subjects from the great masters of the poison pen

269 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Richard Conniff, a Guggenheim Fellow and winner of the National Magazine Award, is the author most recently of House of Lost Worlds: Dinosaurs, Dynasties, and the Story of Life on Earth. He writes for Smithsonian and National Geographic and is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, and a former commentator on NPR's All Things Considered. His other books include The Natural History of the Rich, Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time, and The Species Seekers. He lives in Old Lyme, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Kevin Jonker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I come to this book whenever I need a touch of wickedness in my life. This is a collection of snarky, rude, and downright mean poetry throughout the ages. Taking aim at countries, cultures, professions, politicians, artists, and other writers, these poets let fly their animosity through their vicious verses and poisoned pens.

Never piss off a poet.